Minn. Man Fakes Seizure During Police Stop, Still Arrested

Nov. 11--A motorist roaring along the interstate in Minneapolis at nearly 100 miles per hour was stopped by a state trooper and suspected of also being drunk, the State Patrol says.

That's when the 32-year-old man from Rosemount "immediately went into a seizure-like activity and fell to the ground," read a description of the Halloween night stop on the patrol's Facebook page.

Turns out, the patrol continued, Matthew K. Hartley admitted upon arrival at Hennepin County Medical Center (HCMC) that he was faking the sudden affliction in hopes of dodging the drunken-driving allegation.

"Consider yourself warned: Faking a seizure will not get you out of a DWI," the patrol's posting read.

According to the patrol:

The trooper detected Hartley going 95 in a 55 mph zone on northbound Interstate 35W at 46th Street. The trooper administered several tests and told Hartley he was being arrested for driving drunk. That's when Hartley's acting skills kicked in.

He was placed in an ambulance heading to HCMC, where he "admitted he could get out of his DWI by faking a seizure."

For his part, Hartley said Wednesday, "I was cooperative the whole time" but hospital security still strapped him down over his objections and gave him a shot to relax.

As for pretending to go into a seizure while in his "old farmer" Halloween getup, Hartley said, "I don't know about that."

Once the lab test results on his blood come back, the patrol expects Hartley will be charged with third-degree driving while intoxicated.

Hartley's driving record in Minnesota is littered with violations over the past 13 years, with at least 27 convictions. They include four speeding tickets, being caught several times driving on a revoked or suspended license, running stop signs, careless driving, exhibition driving and even riding a snowmobile within city limits.

Copyright 2015 - Star Tribune (Minneapolis)